I am writing in support of the writer of the Letter to the Editor published on the BFD headed “Why You Shouldn’t Dismiss National and ACT”. The basic tenet of the letter I agree with. The writer is making the point that stating that you cannot give National or ACT your party vote is not a very sound strategy as effectively you are giving a vote to Labour or the Greens. That is true and the point is also made that another three years of them and we really will be up the creek without a paddle.
National and ACT aren’t perfect, no political party is, and I think many of us are inclined to fall into the trap of voting on certain issues rather than looking at a party’s policies as a whole. Doing that exercise would leave no doubt as to where to cast our vote. Whoever we vote for in any election, it is always the equivalent of the firmest of the bananas in a bunch that looks past its best.
By the time of the next election I’m picking the country economically will be in such a quagmire that it will be simply too dangerous to vote any way other than to ensure the demise of this government.
If the current trend in the polls continues, and I have every reason to suppose it will, then a change of government will happen. That means that, unless we wish to cast our vote for a minor party that won’t meet the 5 per cent threshold, the choices are National, ACT or possibly NZ First. You can never count Winston out. The way the political landscape is now shaping up these are the thought processes we should be engaging in. Virtually all contributors and readers of the BFD want a change of government but for various reasons we are not entirely happy with everything the alternatives offer.
We need to concentrate on the bigger picture. In saying we don’t want Labour, that is what we are doing. We are philosophically opposed to their ideology. That’s easy. When it comes to parties we are basically philosophically in agreement with, the task gets harder because they are often reluctant to implement some of the policies we think they should. Hence, in our view, they are Labour lite. This is a cause for annoyance and irritation, even downright anger for some of us on the BFD.
I sympathise as I find myself in the same boat. However, and here’s the point, the boat is not the Titanic that Labour represents. The iceberg ahead of them between now and the next election is the economy. Their mishandling of it will ensure they meet the same fate as the Titanic.
I hope Grant Robertson is practising his salute as I presume the current captain will have left the deck, not having the courage to go down with the ship.
I want to reiterate that it’s the bigger picture we should be concentrating on rather than looking at issues in isolation. Here are some National has committed to:
Tax cuts
Readjusting income tax levels
Repealing Three Waters
No underground tram
No capital gains tax by stealth
Curbing higher inflation
Stopping wasteful spending
Reinstating oil and gas exploration
Reinstating Bill English’s welfare policies
More spending on roads.
These and other policy points that we agree with, to my mind, transcend the Labour lite argument. We all know National are better managers of the economy; we all know that MP for MP National and ACT largely outshine the current lot of incompetents. We all know that by the time of the next election a change of government will be imperative and we all know that the only ones capable of cleaning up the inherited mess will be National and ACT.
ACT will be necessary not just to form a government but to keep National on track and prevent excess wokeness creeping in.
I believe 2023 will present a stark choice between electing a government made up of people who understand business and the economy or a bunch largely of academics, ex trade unionists and community workers more used to making cups of tea for the elderly. At that point where we put our vote will be a no brainer.
